Scarred Nights and Scarlet Knives
by Viscoun
Summary: A traveler wakes up in Gensokyo, with no recollection of how he arrived there. He finds out everything he can about the place, noting points of interest in his diary as he traverses the realm. Though he does not know why he is there, one thing becomes evident: he knows more than he seems to realize.
1. Entry 0: On the Mansion and its Denizens

_"I serve one master, one household, one realm. Traveler, you would do well to remember that beyond the gate, there is only subjugation. There is only war, and the cries of skirmishing crows, harbingers of unrelenting devastation. Within, there is only the land, and its many scions, residing in a peace tempered by years of conflict. And there is I, the humblest servant in our world, and hence the greatest it has ever known."_

"I often tell those select few who are foolish - and headstrong - enough to enter, 'Don't take the tranquility of the forests at face value. Behind that veneer of serenity lies a greater danger, one that haunts the minds of the maidens tending to the only constants in this otherwise chaotic world: the villages, situated at the heart of it all.'"

She took a sip of her tea, glancing upwards at me as she did so. An angry gleam pierced my vision momentarily whilst she crossed her legs; she then leaned back to fully take in the latest, and very much mortal, addition to the mansion's vast living room. The knives were still there, strapped to her thighs, as they had been for hundreds of years. Some things never changed.

"You're telling me this, and yet you know I've been here before," I started. But before I could continue, she put up a finger, and the look in her eyes hushed me without expectation of protest.

"Gensokyo changes every time the moonlight swirls in the purple mist. Every time the bamboo thickets rustle in the wind. Every time the halls of the Mansion fall victim to the flowering night." She nodded to herself, as if she had come to realize something she hadn't before. Which, knowing her, must be something truly remarkable indeed. "And every time my mistress ventures out into the realm, too."

"So every day." I waved a hand impatiently. "Rhetoric won't help you patronize me, Miss Izayoi. Propinquity with Remilia Scarlet should have told you that much-"

What happened next was something I, as a mere human, could never have even begun to process. One moment, she was sitting there, teacup gracefully in her grasp, and the next there was a dagger at my throat, and perhaps fifteen - no, fifty, even - others hovering in a menacing star around my head. Sakuya herself was glaring down at me from high above, the look of a predator gazing upon its prey all but apparent on her otherwise beautiful features.

"I will not tolerate disrespectful mention of my mistress, _traveler_," she spat.

For the briefest of moments, I considered retorting. But, with the threat of death very real and very imminent, I kept my temper in check, and, closing my eyes in resignation, I nodded. Seconds later, I felt the dagger very reluctantly retreat from its position beside my jugular.

_She's a strange one_, I thought as I heard the armchair opposite me rustle, allowing me to open my eyes again. _Her piety to her mistress has been steadfast and unwavering for so long, and yet if she knew... Would she - no, _could_ she continue to be so stubborn, so sure about herself, about this whole affair?_

_And if Scarlet were allowed to do what she had always planned to do since arriving here - heaven knows how long ago that was - would Sakuya's loyalties remain unchanged?_

_Or perhaps - just perhaps - Sakuya already knows, and she's simply biding her time, waiting for it all to come together, like pieces of a puzzle falling miraculously into each other, to form the picture that could turn the great wars of this realm into nothing but petty skirmishes in the face of such an impending disaster?_

I took my teacup and drank slowly from it. It was bitter, but the leaves themselves withheld a quiet sweetness, and the essence of the tea granted me a soothing warmth in the cold, harsh climate of the empty mansion. I looked at Sakuya, who looked back quizzically, but with the same self-surety that was evident in everything she did. Deep down, I knew that I would do well to trust her, at least for the time being.

_Maybe there is hope for this world. We'll just have to wait and see, I guess._

And just as the last vestiges of that final thought left my head, the giant doors behind me creaked open, the sound shooting fresh dread into my heart. _"Speak of the devil" would be a phrase a touch more appropriate than any other in this case_, I thought wryly as I stood, and turned the next page in my, insofar, rather unfortunate life.

_Wouldn't it?_


	2. Entry 1: On the Mansion Library (Part 1)

Beneath the quiet abode of Remilia Scarlet lies a structure to which full, unrestricted access is only granted to the privileged few. Such scholarly, and intellectually curious individuals are far and few between, and so it is with the greatest luck that I was permitted to enter the hallowed halls of the Scarlet Devil Mansion's library, the single and most powerful authority on knowledge of the realm and its largely forsaken history.

My guide and the host of this splendid place, the enigmatic Patchouli Knowledge, glided along the wooden floor, her steps leaving swirling echoes of tempered magic in their wake. The boards were old, having withstood the various burdens and tests of time, and yet they held my weight well. Perhaps it was the low hum of ethereal power that coursed through the tall alleys and corridors of the library that preserved it in such a static, unchanging state. Or perhaps it was simply that I was the only person, aside from Patchouli and her diminutive assistant, Koakuma, who had passed over this particular section of the library, even in all its long, perennial existence.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" asked Patchouli as she pattered in and out of the shelves, with me trailing in her wake. "Like a grimoire of earthen spells, or some tome of history? Or," she paused, and turned to glance at me cautiously, "something even beyond that?"

I shrugged. "I will take whatever you are willing to offer, librarian."

Patchouli allowed herself a small smile. "Such humility. Very well, you'll see what it is that we hide from the eyes of the ever-inquisitive world."

Feigning shock, I continued, "I was not aware that you hid any such things in here."

"Come now, traveler." Patchouli mocked stifling a yawn, or at least, that was what it seemed like to me. "You are here in the greatest resource our land has and will ever know, and you assume that the place is safe enough for even the deadliest of Gensokyo's secrets to simply be lying around, free to be procured and produced at expense of the world? Don't look so scared, now," - she had seen the now genuine look of surprise that appeared on my face following her words - "we keep everything tightly under wraps. Here we are."

The process that followed was too complicated for me to reproduce in words - or it's entirely possible, too, that some kind of silent amnesiac was cast upon me throughout - but when all the intricacies were done with, I found myself at the foot of a set of stairs even older than those of the main entrance, and in a chamber that looked even mustier than the already decrepit-looking upper level of the great library. This second basement floor was by no means smaller than the first, but the floors were marked with stone, and the lamps lighting the way forward seemed to carry a more sinister air. Patchouli, lantern in hand, began to walk, and I hastily followed.

As we journeyed, I felt the presence of some other entity nearby, but failed to pinpoint its exact location until the moment we turned the corner of one of the endless, ubiquitous wooden racks lining the chamber, and found myself face to face with an impish, "devilite" girl. She nodded as my gaze turned to her, and after recovering from being startled by her sudden appearance, I nodded back, and said, "Good evening, little devil."

Koakuma flinched at my unexpected transliteration of her name, but had no reply for me.

"There are no mornings or evenings here, traveler." Patchouli's voice reverberated around the hall, which was getting thicker with mist with every row passed. "In this place, all the books here are fast asleep. Only eyes cast upon their pages can awaken them from their slumber."

"You speak as if the books are alive," I interjected, "but are they not simply words on pages, some bound magically to this world, whilst others are simply left to be read and discarded at will?"

"To know of the soul of something is to, quite literally, read it like an open book. In here, things are no different." Patchouli stopped, and a leather-wrapped tome slid out of its slot in the shelf, flying elegantly into her outstretched hand. She handed the tome to me. It was heavy, and the pages were ragged, but I endeavored, with Patchouli's good graces, to indulge myself in it nonetheless. Opening the pages, a strange array of words and numbers greeted me.

"What am I looking at?" I asked as I pored over the text, my mind drawing a complete blank over its meaning.

Patchouli raised her eyebrows. "See for yourself, traveler. The soul of this book is yours to know now."

I looked back at the yellowing pages again.

And, without warning, the world faded to black.


	3. Entry 2: On the Mansion Library (Part 2)

I came to in a small, stuffy room, a dim lantern hanging from a moldy ceiling, swinging slowly. The lantern was rusty and of simple make, yet there was no denying that its light came from a wellspring of a supernatural nature - for one, though it hung high above the room, no visible hooks or latches could be seen attaching it to the ceiling's surface. It simply hovered, swirling with the faintest tinctures of arcane energy.

As the lantern's glow pooled into the shadows, the room's contents gradually came into view. I was lying on a bed in the corner, and the only other item of furniture present seemed to be a desk set, an old oaken table with a set of drawers to complement it, and a similarly stocky chair upon which was sat a figure clad in purple silk robes that never seemed to remain still, fluttering with the aetheric wind that lent its owner the power she commanded as keeper of the realm's deepest, darkest secrets.

She heard my return to consciousness, and turned, giving me the same smile she always wore when looking after her many guests. She had been writing a book - the pen in her hand and the scattered papers on the desk were good indication of that - and, considering that many of the library's selections had been penned by the librarian herself, that didn't surprise me in the least.

I quickly sat up, but Patchouli put up a hand to stay me. "Make sure you are feeling fully rested before you stand - the nauseatic effects of the magic you were exposed to may still linger."

"Magic?" I struggled to recollect what had happened. There was a book, leather-bound, yellowing, and full of what seemed to be the most random gibberish I'd ever laid eyes upon. And then...

"It was meant to give you nothing but a small shock, but I never expected the tome to hold so much power after so long." She bit her lower lip in thought. "And I never expected your adjustment to magic to be so... violent."

"I am a non-magical being, yes." I rubbed my head, and felt a hard lump, freshly materialized, at the back.

"Not anymore." Patchouli herself stood, and came over to me. Placing a finger on my temple, she murmured something under her breath, and then stepped back. "That tome was a guide to basic Youkai magic. Demon magic. The fact that you blacked out means that you found the soul of the book, and in it you unlocked your own potential, one that is latent in the vast majority of humans." She paused. "The fact that you are here at the mansion must mean that you have at least met one of this world's few exceptions to that rule."

I nodded. How could one forget an encounter with such an exceptional, if remarkably temperate and calculating, individual? "Miss Izayoi hosted me on my arrival, yes."

"I'm not saying that you'll be able to stop time or summon knives in times of need, like she does at the flick of a wrist. That comes from nothing but years upon years of home-brewed skill and talent. But perhaps you'll be able to do something you've never done before. That remains to be seen, of course, and if you stay here, maybe I could help you find out what it is your new powers will allow to happen."

It was obvious she was curious as to what the tome had done for me, or to me. And so was I.

"Sorry, Miss Knowledge. But I have a greater mission that I must attend to first, one that takes precedence over such a matter, and one that will involve incredible lengths of discovery, far more than what I have found here. I may have to depart soon, assuming I haven't slept for too long."

"Only a couple of hours." Patchouli seemed slightly disappointed. "Though I can't possibly see what could be more important than discovering what lies within yourself, rather than the outside world. Gensokyo is only as big as you want it to be - the human mind, however, is endless."

I smiled. "Thank you for your patronage, Miss Knowledge. But to me, Gensokyo is as limitless as any mind."

And following a few more exchanging of words and courtesies, I was ushered out of the great doors of the library, and, after making my way past the mansion gates, took my first steps into fresh air, and into Gensokyo proper.


	4. Entry 3: On the Route to the Shrine

Gensokyo, the Land of Illusion, is perhaps one of the only places in the world where advancement of the spirit is valued more highly than advancement of material technology. Youkai, spiritual beings that might be termed "demons" or "devils" by most outer-world humans, coexist with humans and other creatures, though the occasional conflict inevitably springs up and brings the realm's many factional schisms into play. Of course, none of these skirmishes last for very long, or the realm would long since have reverted to the haunted, barren state it maintained long ago, before the Youkai came seeking refuge from the aggressive actions taken against them by the increasingly human-populated world.

It is hard to say how I arrived here, or whether I will return to normal human society again in the near future. But what I do know is that however I came here, I did so through the Shrine.

The Shrine is a humble and frail-looking structure, a stock building of stone and wood built on a crumbling foundation, and is perhaps one of the most physically unassuming in all of the realm, especially given the grandiose manner in which the Scarlet Mansion presents itself. Yet the role it plays in the realm's inner workings, and perhaps in the realm's very existence, is absolutely undeniable. For it is the Shrine that has kept the denizens of Gensokyo, human, youkai and other supernatural creatures alike, safe from the perils of the humans without.

I don't know the true details of what happened before the Shrine's formation, or what exactly led to Gensokyo's self-enforced isolation from the rest of the world. All I have gathered, after hearing bits and pieces from Patchouli, Sakuya Izayoi and a few others, is that there was some kind of war, and human society, the society we know now, won out. Thus, to protect the youkai and their few human allies, a powerful barrier was erected over Gensokyo, with the Shrine as its source. To destroy the Shrine would perhaps lead to the re-exposure of Gensokyo to the world, and with the advent of human technology, who knows what kind of horrors might be wreaked on the realm following such a revelation. Considering that the barrier's effects cause Gensokyo's time to lag behind the modern world's by several centuries, I doubt Gensokyo's inhabitants would be happy to find their peace shattered by the arrival of a much-improved and considerably more bloodthirsty enemy. Thus the Shrine stays, and I suppose the vast majority of Gensokyo are happy to leave it that way.

The guardian of the Shrine, a young maiden known as Reimu Hakurei, is a descendant of the one who created the Shrine's barrier. Perhaps I should pay her a visit next, in my quest to find out more about this world, and how to one day escape it, if I should escape at all.


	5. Entry 4: On Hakurei (Part 1)

When I first referred to "the Shrine" in these records, I was, of course, not insinuating that there is only one shrine in all of Gensokyo (though I'm told that the Hakurei Shrine was indeed once the only shrine around.) It's simply the case that the Hakurei Shrine, being my first and foremost destination after leaving the Mansion, and also carrying the most importance of essentially all the shrines in the realm, deserves to be called as such. Plus, I doubt anyone even only mildly versed in the geography of Gensokyo would fail to recognize the foundation of Gensokyo's very existence.

That, however, is not to say that anyone would recognize the Shrine at first sight. It takes on a fairly decrepit appearance, and is nestled in the farthest reaches of eastern Gensokyo. The path leading up to it is old and worn, and even on the best of days, it'd be hard to even find the beginning of the road to its entrance. So you can perhaps understand the trouble I took to trek all the way from the Mansion, around Misty Lake, under Youkai Mountain, and over to the Shrine. (Don't worry if the names seem unfamiliar to you. At this point, I'm close to simply regurgitating what Patchouli has told me about the surrounding area.)

I was greeted by the sight of a young girl sweeping the stone pavement leading towards the shrine as I finalized the rockier portion of my long walk, feeling the uneven beaten path cut into the soles of my boots. She wore two of the most billowy and comfortable-looking armwraps I'd ever seen, and a simple red vest to complement the white-and-trim theme on the armwraps. What struck me most about her appearance, however, was the massive red ribbon tied on her head, with two more "daughter ribbons" hanging off two ponytails on her faded-brown hair.

Recognizing her as the host of this shrine, I approached her and gave her a perfunctory nod in greeting. She beamed brightly upon seeing me - perhaps friendly visitors were a rare occurrence in a land like this. Especially if those visitors were other humans, of all the people that could come here.

There are several reasons why Reimu Hakurei is such a big name within Gensokyo. One is that she is a direct descendant of the creator of the powerful Hakurei Barrier, which means that Reimu herself, carrying the blood of the Hakurei in her veins, too harbors great potential as a user of worldly magic. Another, a direct consequence of the aforementioned reason, would be her constant fights with those few in number, yet no less significant, close-minded youkai who seek to destroy her home, and maybe the rest of Gensokyo along with it. I've yet to find out what the logic behind such attacks might be, but honestly, I personally would rather stay indoors and have a cup of tea than try and fight someone of Reimu's caliber.

Not that you would take her to be anyone of such power at first sight. Following the example of the shrine that raised her, I soon found that looks could be deceiving.


	6. Entry 5: On Hakurei (Part 2)

"Good afternoon," she chirped. It was then that I began to feel what seemed like lead weights tugging on my eyelids - I had not slept for a good, long while.

"Afternoon to you too, Miss Hakurei." I gestured towards the shrine. "May I?"

Her eyes widened, and she nodded. "Please do."

I rummaged in my pocket as I approached the little altar, roofed by a thin oaken fringe that barely shielded the entrance from the sun's glare. Surprisingly, I managed to find my wallet, slightly battered, but still intact. Judging by the amount of money inside, it seems that whoever had sent me here to Gensokyo had tried to ensure that I had enough to eat for at least a year or so. I couldn't recall ever withdrawing this much from the bank, at least...

I fished out a note and slipped it inside the donation box perched on the altar, hoping the gods would accept a form of yen from two hundred years into the future. Reimu's eyes followed my hand's progress towards the box closely.

Clapping my hands together and bowing to the little statue gazing up at me from the ground, I smiled at the expectant Reimu. "May I stay for a while longer? I'm in need of a little rest."

"Of course." Reimu beckoned for me to follow her, then darted into the side entrance of the shrine. When I reached the doorway and peered in, I found her bustling about the place, pulling a table and cushions into the center of the room, a kettle already humming quietly on the miniature stove above the fireplace. Taking off my shoes, I stepped into the room, feeling the floor, completely covered in straw matting, rustle underneath my feet. A small coating of dust also matted the ground, but the straw was still cool and refreshing to the touch.

The contrast between this place and the Scarlet Devil Mansion could not have been more stark, more clear. The Mansion was a cold, large, empty place, and every whisper echoed in and out of the corridors, shimmering through the halls with an almost aetheric quality. No wind ever penetrated the walls of its chambers, and yet there was no denying the harsh, dark, and wholly disquieting veil that was cast over everything, an all-encompassing frostiness pooling into every corner, every niche, seeping into your bones. Even in the day, there was little comfort to be found from the sunlight, so tinted and warped by the windows that it became nothing but a mellow glow, a husk of dull illumination. (The Mansion's size in itself warrants a second visit, though probably, and hopefully, not any time soon.)

The Hakurei Shrine, however, clung tightly to its humble roots, and never seemed to tire of them. The interior was as dilapidated as the exterior, and yet it was so homely, so comforting, and so warm. Unbelievably warm. Still, the breeze coursing through the open doorway cooled the sweat on my back, and the smell of sweet tea permeated the slightly dank air inside. Only my deep-seated sense of courtesy prevented me from laying on the straw mattress and falling asleep immediately in the shadow of the lazy midday sun.

Reimu took a cushion and sat on it, adopting the knees-forward seating position I still had yet to master. I opted instead, as she patted the table and motioned for me to sit down, to cross my legs and use the cushion as a foot-stool of sorts, so refreshing was the feeling of the cold straw beneath me. We spent the next few minutes making small talk, letting the breezy chirping ubiquitous in all summers calm our ears as we chatted. And as the kettle pouted, and Reimu brought it along with some teacups to the table, she popped the question.

"Your travels carry much color, traveler, though I'm surprised you haven't encountered any, well, more hostile entities on your way here." After hearing a summary of my experience in Gensokyo so far, she seemed eager to talk. "I'm sure you'll find some way of returning some day." She paused, and, slightly apologetically, she continued. "But you see, the process of returning to the outside world is as arbitrary as it is complicated. I'm afraid some source of great power, or at least someone acquainted with the process, may be required. Outside the youkai, I don't know of anyone living here who's managed to leave yet."

"That's a little unfortunate." I took a sip of the tea she offered me. Unlike Sakuya Izayoi's tea, it was more herbal in nature, with a distinct citrous aftertaste that carried away the mild bitterness that brought it forward in the first place.

"It is. But enough about that. We should make your stay in Gensokyo as comfortable as possible, while we can. I'm not the greatest tour guide, but I can tell you a little about everything. Is there anything you have in mind, or anywhere you'd like to go next?"

I raised my eyebrows, and thought about it for a moment. "I guess so."

"Let's hear it then."


	7. Entry 6: On Hakurei (Part 3)

The location I next suggested I could search for answers at was a landmark I hadn't felt the need to examine closely on my way to the Hakurei Shrine, before a discussion with Reimu convinced me otherwise. I was told that it was often best to retrace one's steps when trying to figure anything out in Gensokyo, as the realm, despite being frozen in time within the barrier's hold, also constantly changed. Plus, with Reimu with me, I could have less fear of running into any unwanted contact, without anyone to back me up should things go awry.

"We're all good folk here," Reimu said as we made our way into the forest bordering Misty Lake. "It is simply the case that none of us really know how to resolve our differences without simultaneously relieving our boredom."

"Well, seeing as I'll be here a good while longer, I hope to meet more of this world's folk as long whilst I'm around." Recalling something Sakuya Izayoi had mentioned about Misty Lake, I continued, "I hear Misty Lake is home to monsters in addition to fairies. Is it safe?"

That last question was surely a pointless one to ask to someone harboring as much power as Reimu Hakurei, but Reimu seemed eager to put my fears to rest. "Any monsters there that would attack you can be negotiated with. Most fish tend to shrink away from human proximity. But there's always one or two..." She sighed.

I was on the verge of asking her about what she had said, but then her eyes brightened, and she pointed in front of us. "Look, there's the lake."

By now, the sunlight had already dimmed to the extent that the sky had turned bright purple, with blotches of red here and there, marred by the occasional passing of clouds. As we left the shadow of the hill upon which the Shrine rested, I couldn't help but mull over what Reimu had told me just before we departed.

As the sun had set, I had asked her about the possibility of leaving Gensokyo through the barrier, in the same way things often arrived here. She smiled sadly as I posed my question, and I knew then what her answer would be.

"Though we get the occasional item from the other side, no one from Gensokyo has ever been able to leave this place in a similar manner. Such is the power of the barrier, regrettably. Of course, it has preserved us in this state of harmony for so many centuries, but sometimes even I wonder what lies beyond..." She suddenly perked up, and leaned forward, eyes shining as she looked to me. "What's it like? Outside, I mean."

The modern era carried many features that, though seeming common and ordinary to us, would have seemed like miracles to those for whom time never waited. I began telling her as much about the world as I could, and with every new insight, she grew more and more incredulous.

"Flying tubes of steel that carry humans around?" She stifled a giggle. "Why bother, when you could just fly around by yourself?"

"Humans in our world aren't capable of aviation. We just don't have the ability to. Magic isn't exactly something we can... do."

"A regression, if you ask me, to a more powerless state." I knew most of the people in Gensokyo shared Reimu's view on the matter. Little wonder, then, that I was treated as a guest everywhere I went. "Though I'm sure if Patchouli gave them all a few check-ups, they'd be flying around in no time." She sobered up slightly. "Seven billion... it used to be a few million back then. I doubt any of us expected something like this."

The thought of having seven billion hostile entities surrounding your home would give even the most confident of people pause for thought. For the first time, I found it in myself to sympathize with the people of Gensokyo. Though of course, I believed the Hakurei Barrier would do its job for as long as it took.

_As long as it took... for what? For the world to end? How long could this peace last for?_

"Oi, traveler." Reimu snapped a finger in front of my face, and pointed in front of us again. "We're here."

"What?" Still slightly dazed, I followed the direction her finger was pointing in. What greeted me might as well have been the largest mirror I'd ever seen.

It was night, and through the trees, I could see the moonlight leaving a trail of searing white across the still water. A small breeze picked up as we neared the lake's brim, and the lake moved as one, rippling back and forth, the reflected moonlight on the surface shivering in the wind, but never breaking its stream. The trees shuddered, and I shuddered with them, pulling my jacket tighter towards myself. Reimu, though wearing only a cloth robe, seemed entirely unaffected by the incoming cold.

"I suppose she's sleeping now, but I'm sure some others are still awake," Reimu said. We began walking around the edge, taking care not to lose our footing and slip into the water.

"Who?" I asked.

Reimu glanced at me. "It depends what kind of answers you're looking for."

I shrugged. "I don't know what I would ask. What kind of information would I get from people who live in a lake, as opposed to people who live on land?"

"In all honesty, I can't say. Water sprites are a dumb lot."

"I'll have you take that back, Reimu," chirped a voice behind us.


	8. Entry 7: On Misty Lake (Part 1)

I snapped around, looking for the source of the voice. The cold air had seeped right through my clothes, and I could feel myself teetering over the edge of unconsciousness. If the voice hadn't startled me, I might've simply dropped dead halfway through our trek.

"Who's there?" I asked. There was nothing in front of me. All I saw were the swaying trees, the rippling water, the moonlight pouring into the dark forest-

"Down here," said the voice, in an obviously irritated tone.

I looked down. There, standing at around waist height, was a little girl. She had vibrant blue hair, and a simple blue dress to complement it, as well as a giant blue ribbon that looked uncannily similar to Reimu's. She was standing with her hands on her hips, looking at my eyebrows, as if that could somehow make her seem taller than me. She stared up, and I glanced nervously back.

"H-hello there, little girl," I said. "Gah!"

A small icicle had materialized out of nowhere, and, in a manner similar to Sakuya's knives, had headed straight for me. It struck me in the knee, and though it couldn't penetrate the skin, it sent shockwaves reverberating through the nerves in my kneecap, and my right leg gave. Without warning, I was sent plunging straight into the cold water.

Daggers shot straight through my bones as I landed. As I struggled to move my joints, which had locked together from the shock of the impact, I heard a boom reverberate across the clearing. My eyes jerked open, and through the bubbling water I could see the sky glow blood red. The glow faded as quickly as it had come, and I stumbled onto the bank of the lake, coughing and spluttering. As my mind cleared and I rubbed the water from my eyes, I had my first sight of a tremendous testament to the power of Hakurei.

A crystalline light shone high above the lake. Bathing within the light was Reimu, one hand outstretched, rows upon rows of meticulously decorated cards hovering in unison, weaving in and out of her fingers. Her robes fluttered wildly, and it was almost possible to see shimmering waves of heat and wind beneath her, currents of magic tracing her every move, supporting her ascent towards the pinnacle of power.

A groan came from some distance in front of her, and I looked over to see the little girl leaning against a tree, clutching her temples, shaking the pain from them as she attempted to stand, struggling almost as much as I did. A black-and-white swirl above her head dissipated just as she regained her footing, and it was evident that the swirl was of Reimu's doing, as with a swipe of Reimu's hand, two more appeared by her side. They were large spheres, black and white crossing over each other around the surface of the spheres in perfect hegemony, the pattern emblazoned proudly across the entirety of the spheres' area. Black and white; yin and yang.

"The traveler is my guest, Cirno," Reimu said sternly as she looked down upon the girl in blue. "Don't let your pettiness get the better of you."

Something cracked beneath my feet, and I looked down to see a web of stunning white begin to spread across the lake's exterior. I leapt out of the water seconds before the ice could solidify and trap me in its embrace.

"Anyone who looks down on me will get only what they deserve," Cirno replied brashly. "The man is no friend of yours - step aside, and I'll spare you the need to face me."

The cards hovering around Reimu's hands stopped, suspended in complete stasis. Then, without warning, they darted towards Cirno, a hail of red flitting across the lake's edge faster than the eye could see, so that it looked like a single stream of paper flying through the air.

Cirno flicked her hand upwards, and an equally impressive storm of icicles materialized from behind her, rising to meet the red blizzard in equal number. As red and blue clashed, the conjured objects annihilated each other, reverting back to their primal, magical forms, disappearing with small bursts of light. It was akin to watching a deadly dance of fire and ice, enemies equal in number and power, no side taking the lead.

Inevitably though, the lake water that had evaporated during the day came to Cirno's aid, and a second ring of icicles overrode Reimu's attack, parrying the cards and hurtling towards Reimu herself. With a point of a finger from her other hand, a circle of inscriptions grew from the tip of her finger, absorbing the icicles and simultaneously feeding on the magical bullets, expanding in size until it was thrice the size of Reimu. The shield vanished with a second motion, and the lake was dark again.

For several moments, nothing moved. Then, Cirno turned to me, staring unflinchingly as she spoke.

"What do you want, human?" she asked coldly.


	9. Entry 8: On Misty Lake (Part 2)

So cold was the water's edge, so chilling was the breeze, that at first I could not find it in myself to speak. But as I opened my mouth, Reimu held a hand up to stay my tongue.

"The traveler is lost, Cirno." For the first time, Reimu spoke in a quiet, yet clearly firm tone. I doubt many had had the chance to see her so subdued. "He came from outside the barrier, and he only seeks passage home."

"The humans from without are only to be feared, Reimu, not cared for." Cirno's eyebrows creased in confusion. "Surely you know of the tales? Of the history of this realm? Anyone who's wandered in here could bring others. The stability and peace of Gensokyo itself is being threatened with this man's every step forward into our world!"

"I can only find sincerity in his actions. There is no malice coming from this man."

"You've always been too optimistic in your dealings with others. Maybe it's time you stopped stomping around the place like you owned it."

"Why you-" Reimu's eyes flared open in anger.

"Reimu, stop!" I yelled. I knew I had to interject before the duo started fighting again.

Both maidens looked at me, and immediately I was at a loss for words. "I, uh... I feel like we won't get anywhere with you two fighting. So please stop. Miss Cirno, you may choose not to believe me, but I have no recollection of how I got here, or why I got here. I only want help, and Reimu told me we could find some here."

Cirno's gaze never wavered, but I could at least sense that her guard was lowering.

"What kind of help were you expecting from me?" Cirno asked, appearing bemused for the first time. "The others are asleep, and I have never seen you around these parts."

"Answers." I bit my lip, thinking of what to say next. "A way to exit this realm. If I have to ask everyone who lives in this place the same question, I will." Nodding to Reimu, I added, "Even if a descendant of the creator of the barrier itself can't tell me how."

Cirno sighed. "And I can't believe you thought I'd know what to do. I've been living around the lake as long as I can remember. Barriers, wars, whatever - I don't care. I honestly don't."

"But you have to admit that you're at least a bit curious about his plight," Reimu chipped in. "Otherwise, knowing you, you wouldn't even have bothered hearing him out."

"Knowing me, huh." Cirno rolled her eyes. "Well, if you're such an expert on the way things operate around here, then you wouldn't have brought the traveler here, would you?" She paused. "But I, at least, am a little interested. Even so, I know nothing beyond what kinds of things fall in from the other side of the barrier. Some of that stuff ends up in the lake, after all."

I urged her on. "Anything will help."

"Well, let's see." Cirno fished into her dress pocket, and took out a weathered, thin black box. "The Princess found this the other day."

"The Princess?" Another new name to add to the ever-growing list of new names.

"Wakasagihime, Princess Wakasagi. A mermaid. Anyway, she gave it to me, since she didn't know what it was for. It appeared only a couple of days ago, so it should be from your time, whatever that is." She tossed the box over, and I hastily reached over to catch it. It slipped through my fingers, and the sound of the box splashing into the water, the sound of my shame, reverberated through the empty lakeside air.

Upon closer inspection, what had looked like a simple black box from a distance turned out to be - would you guess it - a smartphone. It had the glass screen, power and volume buttons, and everything else you'd expect it to have. A pity that it didn't turn on - perhaps Cirno carrying it around with her had fried - or frozen - the circuits in the device.

The fact that I remembered what a smartphone was surprises me now (as does my memory of airplanes when I was describing the outside world to Reimu), but at the time, I was simply happy to find something from my time in this temporally ancient realm.

"Something you recognize?" Cirno asked, seeing the small smile that grew on my face.

I nodded. "It's something. Mind if I keep it?"

She shrugged. "I don't need it."

I pocketed the phone, and turned to Reimu. "I guess we could keep looking, if Cirno can't offer us any help."

"I suppose so." Reimu took one last angry glance at Cirno, as if trying to say, "You keep off my guest!". Cirno glared back.

In hindsight, maybe we should've just headed for the human villages instead, even if they were farther away.


	10. Entry 9: On Hakurei (Part 4)

The new addition to my jacket pocket repeatedly struck the side of my abdomen as we made our way back to the Hakurei Shrine. Though the weight, which sat next to my journal, was slightly uncomfortable, I felt a glimmer of hope for the first time since I'd arrived here. Looking back at all the hours spent weaving in and out of Youkai Mountain, hoping not to attract the curiosity of any of the more inquisitive and hostile of the locals, I realized how nice it was to finally have a companion, if not a friend. Solitude was tolerable before, but now, I'd never go anywhere within the bounds of this realm without someone - someone human - watching my back. And with the smartphone, my first source of hope, in my possession, I hoped to continued following whatever clues I could salvage. At this point, there was little I wouldn't do to get the answers I wanted.

Not that I minded any company of smaller stature, either. Reimu was next to me, and standing unusually close. Not a surprise, considering who was trailing somewhat awkwardly behind us.

"Why are you following us?" Reimu finally broke the ice, swiveling to confront our unnaturally voiceless follower.

Cirno shrugged. "I hate to say this, but like I said before, I'm curious. I want to know how the traveler got here."

"It's not like he's anything special, right?" _Ouch, that hurt._

Reimu squinted at Cirno. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"You're not being yourself, Reimu." Cirno was as frosty as the icy mist that steamed quietly in her wake. "Sure, we get many people who are thrown in from the other side. But," she turned to look at me, "you seem... different, somehow. Maybe it's just that you're a newer face than most of the humans around here."

"What eras are the humans in the villages usually from?" I asked.

Cirno shrugged. "Can't tell you. I know nothing about human history. But they seem to know us - and our traditions - well enough. So we don't complain. You though - you're different."

"I'll take that as a compliment." We continued in further silence.

The shrine came into view. With its cracks and dents accentuated under the misty moonlight, even the shadows cast on the surrounding grass seemed to capture - and hence emphasize - just how old the place really was. Which, of course, begged the question: How old were Reimu, and Cirno, and Patchouli, and everyone else who resided in this realm? Did anyone ever die, be it from overzealous skirmishes or from natural causes? Did age even matter in this place?

I relayed those questions to Reimu and Cirno, but the notion of age only seemed to confuse them. I decided to save that for later. I was tired, and our little jaunt around the lake only served to make matters worse. _I could use some rest_, I thought, and closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes again, the sunlight was streaming in, a glare that almost blinded me as soon as my eyelids parted. I grunted, and rolled over. I then realized where I was, and darted awake.

The same smell of citrus tea greeted my nose. A familiar warmth descended upon my senses, complemented by a cool breeze streaming through the windows, thrown wide open to allow the damp grassy odor from without to mix with the sweetness of the Hakurei Shrine's signature herbal concoction within.

I looked around. Reimu wasn't in. Probably sweeping the pavement outside, or cleaning up somewhere.

I heard a snort, and looked down to see another figure sprawled right next to where I had been sleeping. A trail of drool had escaped from Cirno's gaping mouth, and as she turned, her mouth curled into a silly little smile, and she giggled. Remembering her verbal ferocity from the night before, I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at the sight.

Looking out the window, I spotted Reimu in the distance, clutching her trusty broom, swinging it back and forth. The crickets sang. The trees whistled. The sun continued shining. The teapot on the stove puffed contentedly.

Whatever concerns I had could wait.


End file.
